


Black Pepper

by Peptasha



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-02 22:03:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4075402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peptasha/pseuds/Peptasha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper and Natasha have some obstacles they need to overcome. This is a multi chapter story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Please Like and Comment guys... Ideas are very useful. Near in mind up to chapter 9 it's pre- written

The sun shines through the enormous windows illuminating the bright colours of the red hair from the two ladies on the sofa. Natasha's legs lean against the glass table that sits patiently waiting for someone to rest food or on it, or place some new magazines on its dust ridden surface. The noises from the kitchen seem to get louder and so Natasha turns the Tv up still being weary of Pepper who was trying to sleep through her headache. But, of course enter Tony and automatically ruins the peace the two had manged to create. Walking up to Pepper he began to flick her shoulder in order to annoy her. 

"What do you want, Stark?" 

"Pepper looked peaceful, thought I'd wake her"

"You just live to annoy her, don't you? After all the shit she does for you" Natasha was not in the mood for this shit today, Pepper had a headache and Natasha had only just got back off of a mission and her body was aching all over. Tony flicked her shoulder again, Pepper frowned in her sleep. 

"Do that again Tony and I'll make a sandwich out of your fingers" Natasha's tone was slightly playful thinking Tony would leave them alone and go back into the kitchen to his bitch of a girlfriend. he flicked her again, this time Pepper groaned and stuffed her head further into Natasha's shoulder, before Tony could move his hand back Natasha grabbed his hand and bit his finger, drawing blood. 

"OUCH" Tony shouted Natasha looked annoyed and slightly smug. Grabbing Pepper and pulling her closer to her she eyed Tony carefully

"I told you to leave her alone" 

"No need to be so mean" Tony walked away to join 'Sam' in the kitchen.

Recently Natasha had been getting more protective when around Pepper. Such as, always leading out of a room first so she can make sure no one was waiting to harm them. Or how she always takes a few minutes to check the rooms in a hotel when they go away. Natasha has always said love is for children. She still stands by that, just not as strongly as she once did. Natasha understands that Pepper and her mother never had the best relationship and so when Pepper came to Natasha one day at shield crying her eyes out, she told Natasha about how she had told her mother she had a girlfriend it took two more hours to finally tell her that they day Natasha's mother had told Pepper that she loved her and would always be there for her was the same day her own mother had told her she disgusted her to her very soul. 

Pepper began to rouse slowly, her nose scrunching and her eyes squeezing shut whilst she stretched out on the sofa and then relaxing and slowly going limp once again against Natasha. 

"Feeling better" 

"Did Tony poke me?" Of course she'd know. 

"Yes, and I bit his finger and he stormed off into the kitchen so he could sulk" 

"Well, thank you for defending my honour" Pepper's smile looked genuine but yet they was still that small part of Natasha that couldn't trust Pepper 100% and that really frustrated them both, Natasha more so than Pepper. Because Pepper knows how hard it is to trust someone even when you don't have a million reasons to distrust everyone in the room. "Where is he now, in the kitchen you say?" Pepper begins to stand up before Natasha pulls her back down.

"I wouldn't if I was you, Sam is in there with him" Natasha and Pepper both hate Sam. Even though Pepper and Tony are completely done and Pepper cannot see herself with another man and only Natasha, Pepper and Tony are still best friends, and right now, Sam is doing her best to destroy their friendship. Even worse Tony doesn't see this happening because he is too busy drooling over the fact that not only does he have a hot girlfriend but he also has hot roommates who happen to be with other hot people. 

"I don't care if that bitch is in there, Tony is my best friend and she is not getting in the way of that" Pepper stood up took a deep breath and walked into the kitchen. 

"Hows your headache Pep?" Tony looks at her with a slight smile

"It's better, thank you for waking me up. Because as you know I love being woken up when I don't have to be up for anything" 

"Oh I remember, I remember when you used to push your head into the covers in the morning when Jarvis would wake you up on a Sunday, I could barley wake you up" Tony turns towards Sam smiling "Honestly, Its true sometimes the only way I could wake her up was hitting her head with a pillow!". Pepper and Tony erupt into laughter at the sweet memories they have shared whilst Sam eyes Pepper. 

"Aham. I'm glad your headache has gone Pepper, I'm sure Tony wouldn't want you to miss tomorrows meeting. Because we'll be busy out shopping". She walks over toTony and wraps her arms around him

"Oh, um... When was this arranged? I though I told you me and Nat were going to spend some time together?" 

 

"Well, I'm sure Sam wouldn't mind rescheduling, I know you and Nat don't get to spend as much time together as you wa---

"WHAT? We planned this together Tony, what am I not important enough?"

"What.. No.. It's just.. Natasha and Pepper don't-- 

"No, It's fine um I'm sure me and Nat can arrange for another time" Pepper slowly walks out of the kitchen and see's Natasha making her way towards the stairs but stops abruptly when she hears Pepper. Just as she opens her mouth to say something Pepper wraps her arms around Natasha and sighs loudly "I'm sorry" she mumbles against Natasha

"Why?" 

"Sam and Tony are going shopping tomorrow morning which means-" 

"Which means tomorrow morning is canceled because Tony can't go to the morning meeting, witch means your going and then you wont see me because I'll be away on a mission?" Pepper just clung on to Natasha and nodded slowly. Natasha really hated Sam. Even more so now because not only has she ruined the plans her and Pepper had planned but also because she knows that Pepper will feel bad about it for the rest of the day and tomorrow morning when she gets up to leave Natasha.

Natasha really hated Sam


	2. Don't Touch Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please read....

The sunlight could only be seen on the top floor of the Stark Tower. The city lights were beginning to light up the rest of Stark Tower. Natasha had come down for wine for her and Pepper, when she felt like someone was behind her. Quickly grabbing her gun she keeps at her thigh at all times she turns around ready to shot only to be met with Sam. Gasping she puts her gun away. 

"What the hell are you doing creeping up on me?" 

"Sorry, I just wanted to get my tablet that I left down here earlier" Although Natasha thought that it was convenient that she had come down straight after her, she let it drop and went to get some wine. Then out of nowhere she started to hum a very particular song. Macy Grey 'I Try', it was Nats and Peppers song. However, she kept quiet again bent down to get her wine until...

"I can't wait to go shopping with Tony, with his schedule its hard ever getting to spend more than a week without him going away for a few weeks" 

"Must be hard, ever think about Pepper? Because the thing about Tony is its only a matter of weeks. Whereas, when I leave I can be gone for a year with hardly any contact. Ever wonder what that's like?" 

"I'm sure she copes" 

"Why tomorrow? Why not in the afternoon, or the day after tomorrow when there isn't any meetings. I have to go away tomorrow afternoon. could a be long one maybe 6 months, strict case no contact to anyone for six months. And because you want to go shopping me and 

Pepper won’t be able to spend any time together". Natasha had supposed that they had known each other long enough to be able to share some details.

"Well the shoes I want are on sale and its a one day only. Sorry" Natasha gave her one dirty look got the wine and left she couldn't stand to be in the same room again, until Sam touched Natasha’s wrist and so on instinct she grabs her arm and twists it into a awkward position 

"Touch me again and you'll live to regret it" 

"Is that a threat 'Nat" The use of Peppers pet name had Natasha reaching for her gun, until she felt Pepper touch her hand from behind lift it up, kiss it, and whisper a subtle no into her knuckles. She promptly let go of Sam and took Peppers hand to walk up to the lift so they could go to their floor. The elevator door shut and Pepper sighed and turned around to look at Natasha who was now looking intently at the wall. She couldn't blame her; she knows what happens when you touch Nat unexpectedly. She just didn't need to reach for her gun.   
"I wouldn't have shot her"   
"I know"   
"Did you hear what that bitch said to me?"   
"She called you Nat, what’s the big deal? I call you Nat. Do you not like the name?" Pepper vaguely heard Natasha mumble something but couldn't quite make it out. "What?"   
"I said, only you call me Nat. No one else" Pepper turned around to look at her amazingly sweet girlfriend, who for once is actually being vulnerable. Pepper took her face in her hands and rubbed her finger across her cheekbone, their eyes meeting. "Please don't be mad at me" Pepper took a deep sigh   
"Don't worry I'm not mad at you, she only did it to get a reaction out of you, why'd you give in so easily? You always stand your ground"   
"Not after what she did today, her shoes are in sale for one day? I'm pretty sure Tony can get them even if they aren't in sale. I wanted to spend time with you tomorrow, I could be gone for six months Pep" Pepper had never seen Natasha looking so vulnerable.   
"What if I don't go to the meeting?" 

"It's a rescheduled one you can't not go" 

"I'm CEO I can do whatever I want"   
_____________________________________________________________________________

Pepper and Natasha came down the stairs in the morning clad in their PJs. Pepper in pale cream shorts and a blue baggy T-shirt hair up in a pony tail. Natasha in fitted tar tin pants and a tight white tee with her hair falling just above her shoulders. Natasha started making the pancakes knowing Pepper wasn't the best cook in the world, they were enjoying a quiet relaxing breakfast, that is until Sam walks in 

"Good morning ladies, Pepper don't you think that you're pushing the time limit I’m sure your meeting starts soon" 

"Well, actually I managed to talk them out of wanting a meeting, see it was only a new electrical company for the lighting at Stark industries and Tony doesn't like them much anyway and so getting rid of them is probably a good thing" 

"Well did you tell Tony this before you went and made that decision?" 

"I'm CEO I don't need Tony's permission to do it, also Tony has been letting me make the decisions for the past 10 years I'm sure he trusts my judgment" 

"Well I still think your crossing a line when you make these decisions, I thought that you were Tony's friend, don't friends discuss things like this?" Natasha begins to open her mouth but before any words are formed Tony comes out form nowhere and simply says

"Don't worry Sam I trust Pepper one hundred percent you have no need to worry" He looked over at Pepper who looked a little smug "Me and Sam are going out now, Natasha I hope your safe and Pepper I'll see you when we get back" They exchanged hugs and careful words were said.

A few hours later Natasha was suited up in her skin tight suit and her and Pepper were saying the last few words that they would hear each other say. 

"You have no idea how sexy you look in that suit" They laughed and Natasha looked her in the eye "But you also have no idea how much I'm going to miss, or how much everything is going to remind me of you, you mean so much to me Nat, just promise me you'll come back safe" 

"I swear to God I'm coming back safe, you mean more to me than anyone I've ever met" They kissed goodbye, which more or less turned into a make out session which left them breathless. "I'll talk to you when I can" 

"Only when it's safe Nat" Natasha drove off. God knows when they will see each other again.


	3. Home Early

The day was sunny and bright, birds swooped low as the sun reflected against the sea. Funny, it was the exact opposite mood the redhead was feeling as she typed away on her computer. For the past 3 months all Pepper has done is work, work and then, even more work. Nat and Pepper exchanged an email every now and then but it wasn't enough for either of them. She's in her office on her floor of Stark Tower all the other Avengers apart from Tony were on missions or busy doing their own thing. Suddenly, Tony walked into her office barging in without knocking he throws the phone at her and looks at her intently, slowly Pepper puts the phone to her ear.   
"Hello?"   
"Miss Potts it's Coulsen" Pepper took a deep breath and tried not to think of all the horrible outcomes this phone call could have  
"Is it Natasha? What’s Happened?" Her worries are growing bigger by the minute  
"The case took a bad turn, she was injured. She managed to get herself out of the worst of it before SHIElD got there to take care of it, she's heading home to Stark Tower"  
"How bad was she hurt?"  
"Broken rib, a few stitches here and there. Nothing too major"   
"When is she expected back" As soon as she said it the elevator doors opened and a very battered Natasha walked in "Never mind"   
"Natasha, how are you?" She hobbled in, the huge gash up her leg was very visible due to the hole in her suit. She carefully walked up to Pepper and wrapped her arms around her. Nothing too major her ass.   
"I'm fine, I just want to go to bed. How are you? Have you been eating?" Pepper just laughs of course when Natasha has been beaten up she still thinks about Pepper and not herself.   
"I'm fine, lets just go to bed yeah?"   
"TONY WHAT THE HELL? WHY THE HELL ARE YOU UP HERE, ARE YOU IGNORING ME?! OH hi Nat, how ya feeling? Wasn't expecting you back yet" Natasha marched up to her ignoring her injuries and slapped her. Hard.   
"You call me that again I'll make sure you regret it" She grabbed a hold of Peppers hand and waltzed towards the lift, whilst Tony just stood there gobsmacked. The elevators doors shut and Pepper just nodded her head at Natasha.  
"Was that really necessary don't get me wrong, I enjoyed watching the show however, I don't think Tony was as thrilled as I was"   
"I don't care" then, without saying anything else Nat just attacked Peppers lips crushing her against the doors of the elevators, groping and loud moans soon follow until the doors open and they both fall out Pepper taking Natasha's weight with her, they erupt into laughter just thinking about the whole ordeal. An hour later when they managed to get up off the floor after a round of hot sex Pepper tends to Natasha's wounds carefully re-doing the stitches that SHIELD probably did in a moving vehicle. They shower and Pepper gets their PJ's on the radiator in order to warm up a little. When they are both ready for a night in Pepper goes down stairs to get the take out that they had ordered only to be met by a very angry Tony.   
"Before you give me any of your shit Sam has been a bitch since the day we meet her, I don't see why Natasha was nice enough to her she was polite so I don't think you should be giving us any shit for what Natasha did."   
"Well Sam and I are pretty serious, so I want an apology from Natasha and I want you to try harder with her, maybe take her shopping or something"   
"Tony I'll be polite, nice; if I'm downstairs I'll make her dinner whatever. Don't expect me to do anything that I don't have too." Tony gave her a dirty look and proceeded to go upstairs to his floor. Pepper went to open the door to see if the food was still their, it was luckily. Pepper paid and went back to Natasha in their living room. "Sam wants an apology"  
"Sam can suck my dick"  
"Yeah well apparently, I have to try harder 'Maybe take her shopping or something" Pepper used air quotes  
"How did that go down?"  
"Not very well" Pepper plunked herself next to Natasha who was slowly eating her take out. Pepper rested her head on Nat’s shoulder squeezing her knee gently "I really missed you Nat, being away for so long was hell"   
"I came back though, just like I said I would. All in one piece too" Pepper mumbled something incoherent and Natasha sensed that it was time to go to bed. "Pep...Pepper...Wake up" the reply was just a mumble and so Nat picked Pepper up and carried her there instead.   
"You’re the best" Is what is heard by Natasha as she walks unto the bathroom to take a look at herself in the mirror.   
"You’re doing the right thing. You are saving lives. You are the reason the good people live and the bad ones get what is coming to them. Love is for children. I do not need it in my life. I care for Pepper. I care a lot for her. Who am I kidding? I fucking love her." Walking back into the bedroom Natasha expects something to be different like Pepper should somehow look different but she doesn't, love isn't like what she thought. it's somehow better, and it's only just begun.   
Pepper is dressed and ready to go before Natasha is even awake. Pepper rubs her thumb and forefinger on Nat’s forehead kisses her cheek gently and tells her she might be home late. When she gets into her car to drive off to work, her engine won’t work. She gets out of the car in order to borrow Tony's car until she is dragged back in by someone. A cloth is shoved over her face and Pepper realizes that its chloroform and that she's getting kidnapped. Again. She's really too old for this crap.   
Natasha is woken up to Tony screaming in her ear. It's too early she can't hear this properly something about peppers car not working and that he has chloroform. No, wait that can't be right surely. She opens her eyes and listens again. Her eyes widen when she understands what he is saying.


	4. I'll Find You

When she tries to open her eyes she's met with a harsh pain in her head, a dull throbbing that doesn't seem to stop. When she manages to look around she can see the dark and grimy walls, full of mud stains, blood, and God knows what, the ground is concrete and the chair is drilled down to the floor, along with a rusty old bed she's sure she'll have to sleep in. God she really is getting tired of this bullshit. She isn't even dating Tony anymore, why do people still kidnap her? Every time it's the same, people threaten to kill her hurt her and then Tony comes to save her. Loud crashes and bangs can be heard from down the hall quickly making their way towards her door that is no doubt securely locked. Subconsciously she wonders what Natasha will look like when she storms through the door. Two heavy men walk through the door, they both have a strong build. One man has several tattoos on his arm but stops mid way, they feature strange quotes such as 'Forgive my sins' and a questionable 'Charlie did it'. She gives them a grim expression and stands her ground. She is met with an expectant punch in the face and a slap around her bare thigh with a belt, and a cigarette butt put out on her arm. She squeals, these men may mean business. 

 

"We want back, what’s ours" his expression was angry and his face was full of angry wrinkles only caused by looking foul for too long and not his actual age.

"I don't know what that is" 

"Natasha" 

"She's mine, sorry boys" The crack of a whip was enough to make her scream, she felt the blood make its way down her back as she arched forward and was met with a belt to the stomach, another punch in her face was enough for her to see stars. She understands why they was so much blood spattering on the wall, she's pretty sure that most of her blood has been spattered everywhere including on the two men doing it to her. 

 

She felt a familiar smell and when she looked up she could see that one of the men was smoking a cigarette; she could see the brand and remembered that it was the same brand as what Natasha smokes when she has nightmares about the Red Room. She knew it was planned this whole thing, down to the last detail, the brand is rare Pepper had tried to find them a few times whenever she saw that Nat was running low and the nightmare seemed constant. She never found them. Natasha always had them re stoked and would never tell Pepper where they were from, she had told her that some things were better left unknown for her own good. These people had stripped Nat of the vulnerability that she needed growing up as a teenager. When she was shoved through too much she didn't once show weakness because she knew that if she did she would be punished for it. So Pepper isn't going to either. A burning sensation in her belly is enough to snap her out of her thoughts she hears the material of her blouse burn and all too suddenly she feels the burn on her stomach whilst the cracking of the whips is all she can hear, it fills her eardrums like 1000 voices all at once. She tries to think about Natasha and all the little things she has learned to love, but when someone is grabbing your hair back and putting something down your throat it's hard to concentrate on anything but what is being forced down your throat. Soon, it becomes increasingly difficult to focus on anything anymore other than the light that seems to be blinding you. 

 

'She can't be missing' it's all that Natasha can hear in her head whilst Tony frantically looked for where Pepper could be. Natasha knows that if Tony can't find her, then she knows where she is. They have her. The whips, the shock treatment, the beatings, it's all too much. She puts her head between her knees and tries to keep her breathing at a normal rate. It's not helping she still can't breathe. She feels Tony's hands on her shoulders shaking her and speaking to her but all she can hear is screaming and she doesn't know if it’s from the past or if she's screaming now. She can hear Tony tell her that it's going to be okay but it’s not because Pepper isn't there. Pepper isn't there, the tears fall quicker and the fears get bigger.

"Listen to me Natasha. We will find her. She might not be okay when we find her but I will not stop until we find her. You trust me?" Natasha is still sobbing; Tony pulls her chin up and looks in her eyes "You trust me?" 

"Yes, I trust you" 

"Sir, I have a possible location for Miss Potts" 

"I'm gonna’ suit up, wait for me and we'll go together


End file.
